A bandh (general strike) called by the disqualified Maoist combatants has partially affected normal life in the Kathmandu Valley on Thursday while there were reports of attacks on vehicles on highways.

Vehicular traffic in city areas was slightly low in the morning than on normal days while a few schools and colleges have been closed. There were no reports of any violent activities in the capital.

Meanwhile, the bandh organisers have torched a bus owned by Unilever Pvt Ltd in Makwanpur and assaulted the driver. There were reports of attacks on vehicles along the East-west highway for defying the bandh.

The former combatants, who were formally discharged from the cantonments last year, have demanded same benefits being made available to voluntarily retiring combatants, and removal of the label of "disqualified".

4008 former combatants were declared 'disqualified' in the re-verification conducted by the then United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN). nepalnews.com